Gig review: Thea Gilmore at Metronome

Metronome had been transformed into theatre-mode, with tiered seating taking the place of the usual expansive “dance-floor” area, for this mid-week, sell-out gig. Supporting Thea was young artist Philippe Nash, who began his set performing alone with a 12-string acoustic and judicious use of a loop pedal. Philippe has been on a tough journey through cancer, and his music reflects that very effectively. It felt brave and vulnerable, consisting of long, intensely personal and confessional songs which surge, rise and fall.

For his third song onwards, Philippe was joined by cellist Simon Bower which seemed to give an injection of power and confidence, intensifying the music notably. The gorgeous but brooding and grief-filled Chair, which provided a moving end to the set. 

“Are you all die hard Thea Gilmore fans?” Philippe had asked early on, and the chorus of strident “Yeah”s from around the room perhaps predestined this set to be a little challenging. The audience was respectful and hushed throughout, and applauded him richly, but I did get the sense that most attendees would move on quickly and wanted only to focus on Thea. That was a bit of a shame, as Philippe is a strikingly talented, passionate artist.

Thea Gilmore also began her headline set performing alone, using a looper and a drum pad to build layers of rhythm, voice and sound to form 2001’s This Girl Is Taking Bets, then melding into Nice Normal Woman from 2023. The choice to begin solo was an effective way for Thea to begin bonding with the audience and demonstrate her skills.

This medley of two tracks separated by more than 20 years also showed the consistency of Thea's wonderfully unapologetic feminist message.

Once the three band members arrived (drums, bass and lead guitar), she moved right back in time to 2002 and then forward again. Her older material had a rich, Folk-meets-Country feel, which contrasted strongly with the newer work such as Unravel Me, from her eponymous 2023 album. That song was ominous and brooding, as well as providing a good way to show off Thea’s vocal range and her ability to skip effortlessly from high to low octaves.

One highlight of the set was the song She Speaks In Colours, written for the 21st Century Folk Project. Thea told how she had been paired with a lady named Delyth who had tragically lost her teenage daughter Ellen to anaphylaxis. The result was a beautiful, poetic ode; moving, sensitive and flowing.

A surprising moment came next, with a cover of Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Thea explained that she had completely changed her opinion of the song when she realised it was a lot deeper and sadder than most people realise. Thea’s was a slow, thoughtful version which certainly brought out those sometimes-hidden elements of the song. 

There were plenty more great moments in what was a generous and warm set. Again, some of the older material yielded powerful and overtly performative moments. Songs such as Razor Valentine and Mainstream are very well structured, nicely planned, lilting and rolling, often in 6/8 time, allowing the musicians space to let go a bit. Jim Kirkpatrick delivered several firm and blazing guitar solos, working his instrument with panache. In sharp contrast, new songs such as Bones are bolder and more exploratory, letting Thea’s other influences come through and providing much more of an artistic outlet. 

At the end of the main part of her set, Thea explained how The Bright Service had divided audiences - and seemed thrilled with that. She’s an artist who loves her art, and the elements of herself that this allows her to show, never afraid to speak out and stick to her guns. The Nottingham audience were certainly not averse to the idea of that song being “a therapy session”, and engaged with it eagerly.

After singing her part of this song, Thea left the side of the stage and reappeared at front of house, watching her band play out from a few steps up the aisle, arms raised in appreciation. Naturally, though, there was an encore - two in fact: And We’ll Dance was upbeat, but the night ended closer to how it had begun, with a solo performance of Midwinter Toast.

This was a well-rounded, satisfying set from Thea which explored her long musical journey and proved that she has plenty more to give. At one point, an audience member (one of the self-confessed “die hard fans”) told her, “We’re wondering why you’re not better known” and I can see where they’re coming from. She is an immensely talented artist whose music has evolved with - and shaped - the times. 

Thea Gilmore performed at Metronome on 4th December 2024.